Pier



June 25, 1963 H. ALBRECHT PIER INVENTOR. @904, H 141.619.56.47

Filed June 25, 1960 nited States Patent 3,094,848 PIER Paul H. Albrecht, Kewaskum, Wis. Filed June 23, 1960, Ser. No. 38,328 Claims. (CI. 61-48) This invention relates to pier construction. of the type which has supporting structure that rests on the ground under the water and extends above the water to support the pier deck.

Piers of the general type to which the present invention relate usually are started from the shore and. then are built outwardly therefrom, and it is highly desirable to be able to build such a pier without the necessity of getting into the water. .These piers should also be. as light as possible to permit. ease of handling the various parts, but at the same time they must be rigid, stable, and strong.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a readily assembled and disassembled pier having the above desirable characteristics.

More specifically, the present invention provides a pier which is comprised of sections that can be quickly and easily installed or taken up without the use of special tools, bolts or other fastening means which may become lost. This is accomplished by the use of horizontal stringers arranged in parallelism and also vertical risers which have complementary and interengaging fastening means that secure them together. Sections of decking are then simply lowered between and supported on the parallel horizontal stringers and act to hold the stringers apart in a locked position on the risers. Thus the sections of decking act to rigidify the horizontal stringers and also hold them in assembled relationship with the users.

Generally, the invention provides a pier that is comprised of sections of supporting structure and decking which can be easily slid into position without the builder getting in the water and which are automatically locked in position.

These and other objects and advantages will appear as this disclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an assembled pier made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, perspective view showing a portion of the pier between two adjacent sections of decking, but with one of the deck sections removed 'for the sake of clarity;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the top end of a vertical riser and one end of one of the horizontal stringers which can be locked to the riser;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely through a stringer and adjacent a deck locking means;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken transversely through a horizontal stringer adjacent an end rail; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one end of the end rail.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, only two vertical support sections 10 and 11 are shown but any number may be utilized, depending on the length of pier desired. In the embodiment of the invention shown, these sections are spaced about eight feet apart which has proved to be a convenient distance. These vertical sections each comprise two vertical legs 12 and 13 which are rigidly held together in spaced apart relationship by a cross member 14. Member 14 is secured to these vertical legs by a T-joint member 15 secured to each of its ends by a screw 16. The vertical legs extend through the T members and the latter are adjustably fixed at any desired height on these legs by means of set screws 17.

3,094,848 Patented June 25, 1963 "ice At the lower end of each of the vertical legs is secured a dome-shaped base plate 18 which, because of its convex shape, not only is particularly strong, but also creates a suction effect between this plate and the lake bottom. A firm footing is thereby provided for the vertical sections. A set screw 19 holds the dome plate on: the lower end of its leg.

At the upper end of each of the legs is secured a riser plate member 20. These members slip over the topof the vertical legs and also have a horizontally extending portion 21 which receives the end of another tubular cross brace 22. Suitable set screws 24 hold the legs and cross brace in the member 20. The member 20 has a plate portion 23 formed integrally at itsuppermost side. This plate portion. is horizontally disposed and has a pair of spaced apart key-hole openings 25 extending therethrough.

The opening 25 has its larger end 25a. positioned inwardly while the smaller end 25b of this key-hole opening is disposed on the outward side of. the pier.

The base plates 18, T-joints 15 and riser plate members 20 are preferably formed as castings of aluminum alloy.

The vertical support sections above described act to support pairs of horizontally disposed stringers 30, 31 and 32, 33. Thesestringers are of L-shaped cross section and may be formed as an aluminum alloy extrusion. The bottom flange 34 of the stringer is horizontally positioned and is adapted to rest on the top of members 20. A stud 35 extends through each end of flange 34, and is held captive therein by the nut 36. The lower end of the stud is enlarged and is of such a. size that it will pass through the larger end of opening 25 but not the smaller one. To assemble the stringer on the plate member 20, the stud is inserted in the large end of the opening 25 and then is pushed outwardly to hold the stud tightly captive in the opening, the stringer bearing firmly on the plate member. In this manner, the vertical support sections and the horizontal stringers have complementary, interengaging parts by means of which they are quickly joined together.

In the example shown, the stringers are of eight foot lengths and securely join the vertical support sections together.

The wooden deck sections 40 and 4-1 are formed of a series of transversely positioned planks 42 which are fastened by nails, screws, or the like to a pair of longitudinally extending wooden rails 43 and 44. In the example shown, these wooden sections are of such a width that they fill the space between the vertical flanges 38 of the pairs of stringers, thus holding the latter spaced apart from one another and in the locked position on the vertical support sections. In other words, when the deck sections are in place, they cause the studs 35 to be firmly held in the small end of their respective key-hole opening. The combined length of the two deck sections is such that they occupy the length of a pair of stringers. As shown in FIGURE 2, a T-shaped bar 46 sets between the pair of stringers and rests on the lower flanges thereof. This bar 46 is also located between the sections 40, 41 of the wooden deck, and the rails 43 and 44 of the latter rest on the horizontal flanges of the bar 46. As shown in FIGURE 4, these rails also rest on the nuts 36 and in this manner are held a slight distance above the horizontal flange of the stringers. The space thus provided between the rails and the stringers insures drainage of Water from beneath the rails and does not form an area in which water can accumulate to encourage rotting of the deck, or accumulation of foreign matter.

Locking means are provided between the stringers and the deck sections to prevent the latter from accidental withdrawal from between the stringers as follows:

Along the inner side of the vertical flange 38 of the stringers is formed a locking groove 39. A shiftable locking pin 50 has a slot 51 through which a screw 52 passes to, hold the pin to the deck section. Such locking pins may be suitably spaced along both sides of a deck section, but a pin adjacent each corner of a deck section has proved adequate to securely hold the deck sections down between the stringers. As shown in FIG- URE 2, the pin 50 has been shifted to the locked position where it is engaged in groove 39. Because the groove 39 is formed along the entire length of the extruded stringers, the spacing, number or positioning of the cooperating piers is not critical, and the deck sections are easily locked in place.

When a suflicient length of pier has been assembled, an end rail 55 prevents the last deck section from sliding outwardly off of the stringers. More specifically, as shown in FIGURE 6, the end rail 55 has its lower flange turned upwardly at each end, and such upturned portion has an aperture 56 therein. .The rail 55 may be secured directly to the last deck section, or it may be installed between the ends of the stringers before the last deck section is dropped in place. In either event the apertures 56 are inserted over the nut 36 in the stringer end and the last deck section is prevented from shifting outwardly from between its stringers. Thus the rail adds a finished appearance to the end of the pier and matches the appearance of the stringers as it can be formed from the same extruded stock of aluminum.

.To remove the deck sections, it is only necessary to withdraw the pins 50 from the grooves and then lift the deck sections from between the stringers. To further disassemble the pier, it is only necessary to shift the stringers inwardly toward one another in order that the studs 35 are aligned with the large end of their respective key-hole openings in the plate members 20. The stringers are then simply lifted from the vertical support sections and the latter lifted from the water.

The pier provided by the present invention can be easily installed or disassembled in sections. The sections are slid together and the parts are locked rigidly in place. The vertical support sections provide good lateral stability as well as good stability in a direction lengthwise of the pier. lThe stringers are easily positioned and shifted into the assembled position on the vertical supports. The interengaging means between the stringers and vertical supports firmly hold them together. By simply lowering the deck sections into place, the stringers are prevented from shifting to their release position. The deck sections substantially fill the area between the stringers to thus aid in rigidifying the assembled pier. No tools are required to either assemble or disassemble the pier, and neither are any bolts or other fastening means required and which frequently are dropped in the water or otherwise lost.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. A pier comprising, a pair of vertical support sections positioned transversely in respect to said pier, a pair of stringers extending between said pair of support sections, one at each side thereof, each of said stringers being of L-shape-d cross section and having an upwardly extending vertical flange and also a horizontal flange, said sections and said stringers having an interengaging keyhole slot and flanged stud for securing said stringers on said support sections, said keyhole slots having a narrow portion extending outwardly, the flange of said studs adapted to lock the latter in said narrow portions, said stud being in a locked position in said slot when said stringers are urged to a spaced apart position from one another, and deck sections supported between said stringers and of such a size that they rest on said horizontal flanges and abut against said vertical flanges and hold the stringers in said spaced apart and locked position on said sections, the width of said deck sections being greater than the distance between the wider portions of opposing keyhole slots.

2. A pier comprising, a pair of vertical support sections positioned transversely in respect to said pier, a pair of stringers extending between said pair of support sections, one at each side thereof, said stringers each having a vertical flange and a horizontal flange which together constitute an L-shaped cross section, said sections and said stringers having an interengaging keyhole slot and flanged stud for securing said stringers on said support sections, said keyhole slots having a narrow portion at the outer side thereof, said flanged studs assuming a locked position in their respective keyhole slots when said stringers are urged to a spaced apart position from one another, and deck sections between said pair of stringers and supported on said horizontal flanges and of such a size that they abut against the vertical flanges and fill the space between said vertical flanges and thereby hold the stringers in said spaced apart position and said flanged studs locked in said narrow portions of said keyhole slots.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 including, locking means between said deck sections and said stringers for releasably locking the former between the latter.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 3 further characterized in that said locking means comprises a groove formed along said stringers and shiftable pins carried by said deck sections for engagement in said grooves.

5. A pier as defined in.claim 4 further characterized in that said sections each have a fastening plate at each side and at the top thereof, said stringers resting on their respective said plates, and said keyhole slots are located in said plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 327,413 Rohrbach Sept. 29, 1885 1,222,468 Rosen Apr. 10, 1917 1,793,709 Meyers Feb. 24, 1931 2,335,046 Droeger Nov. 23, 1943 2,571,337 gBurnham Oct. 16, 1951 2,592,626 Wanless Apr. 15, 1952 2,687,617 Newell Aug. 31, 1954 2,751,258 Brattland June 19, 1956 2,882,110 Mutchnik Apr. 14, 1959 

1. A PIER COMPRISING, A PAIR OF VERTICAL SUPPORT SECTIONS POSITIONED TRANSVERSELY IN RESPECT TO SAID PIER, A PAIR OF STRINGERS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF SUPPORT SECTIONS, ONE AT EACH SIDE THEREOF, EACH OF SAID STRINGERS BEING OF L-SHAPED CROSS SECTION AND HAVING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING VERTICAL FLANGE AND ALSO A HORIZONTAL FLANGE, SAID SECTIONS AND SAID STRINGERS HAVING AN INTERENGAGING KEYHOLE SLOT AND FLANGED STUD FOR SECURING SAID STRINGERS ON SAID SUPPORT SECTIONS, SAID KEYHOLE SLOTS HAVING A NARROW PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY, THE FLANGE OF SAID STUDS ADAPTED TO LOCK THE LATTER IN SAID NARROW PORTIONS, SAID STUD BEING IN A LOCKED POSITION IN SAID SLOT WHEN SAID STRINGERS ARE URGED TO A SPACED APART POSITION FROM ONE ANOTHER, AND DECK SECTIONS SUPPORTED BETWEEN SAID STRINGERS AND OF SUCH A SIZE THAT THEY REST ON SAID HORIZONTAL FLANGES AND ABUT AGAINST SAID VERTICAL FLANGES AND HOLD THE STRINGERS IN SAID SPACED APART AND LOCKED POSITION ON SAID SECTIONS, THE WIDTH OF SAID DECK SECTIONS BEING GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE WIDER PORTIONS OF OPPOSING KEYHOLE SLOTS. 